Talk Time

Will the landline phone become obsolete?

As cell phones are being used more frequently, land-line phone usage is beginning to become obsolete. In addtion, many people are using Skype, which is a software application that allows users to make free calls and video chats to other Skype users. Therefore, some are canceling their home phone service, because it is rarely used. Other people keep their phones in order to take advantage of package deals offered by Verizon and other cell phone or home phone providers. These usually include land-line phone, internet, and digital TV service.
As technology is surging into the future, Alexander Graham Bell's remarkable invention is being continually transformed to provide means of communication and entertainment to people around the world. Will land-line phones become extinct someday? No one is sure, but its declined usage and comparative lack of features tends to sound out an unquestionable yes.

You have to love those landline phones. For reliability, they cannot be beat. And although landline phone charges have dropped considerably over recent years, their competition still wins hands down based on cost. That’s why a massive switch is coming, with more and more of us hanging up the landline and picking up an internet-based phone, or cell phones at home.
So what is this mighty competition? It’s known as voice over internet protocol or VOIP, and its quality is getting better every day. All you need is a computer, an internet connection and an inexpensive phone that you can buy at any electronics stores, or on the Net. For about $20 per year, make all the local and long distance calls you want, unless you have friends in foreign countries. That’s extra.
From a call quality perspective, you probably won’t even notice a difference, though you may experience an occasional call drop. VOIP may not be for everyone and you need to be aware of some issues before you throw the landline out with the 8 Track player.
• Depending on the VOIP service, the computer must be on for the phone to work. (But now there are ways around that, too. A small plug-in device that is essentially a computer without a monitor or keyboard, and uses hardly any energy, is used instead of the home computer. It costs $70 or $80. This device will likely go mainstream in the next few years).
• You may not be able to keep your phone number. It depends on where you live and what company provides your VOIP phone service.
• You won’t be listed in the phone book any more (some may see this as an advantage).
• If the power goes off, so does your phone (unless you buy a power supply backup).
• Tech support is spotty, and you may have to rely on e-mail messaging with the device company.
• If you have an alarm system installed at your home, the alarm system may not work with VOIP.
• Most of the older fax machines will not work with VOIP
Homeowners may be willing to give up the impressive reliability of their landlines, knowing their cell phones can act as excellent back-ups, especially if it’s only for an hour or two once or twice a year. The up front costs are minimal to make the transition, and with the down economy, it may be an obvious way to save money every month.
For businesses, there will likely be a role for landlines in the future, but only as a back-up. The day-to-day phone service will be VOIP because it is so cost effective and relatively reliable. The most expensive aspect of making this transition for a business is replacing the phones for about $50 each. But given the savings—VOIP could easily slash monthly phone bills in half, and in some cases by 70-80%—Internet phones are here to stay.
If current trends continue in telecommunications, and I predict that they will, landline phones will pretty much fade away, if not get hung up completely in the next five to ten years.

Possible but not likely. .
The problem with cell phones is that it takes so little to disrupt them. Home phones, however are hardwired and more difficult to disrupt.
There certainly is a trend toward increased cell phone use and decreasing home phone lines.

I am not fully agree, in my family all have there own mobile with that we also have a base phone.i tell you why if i am giving my no. to any institution or to any person asking for another no. i can't give my family mobiles no. to all instead give landline no. which can be available for all the time whether i gone for a non network area or in roaming.

yes its demand has decreased tremendously among masses but i dont think it will become obsolete because it has been in great use in offices and industries and its been used more frequently by older people

You have to love those landline phones. For reliability, they cannot be beat. And although landline phone charges have dropped considerably over recent years, their competition still wins hands down based on cost. That’s why a massive switch is coming, with more and more of us hanging up the landline and picking up an internet-based phone, or cell phones at home.
So what is this mighty competition? It’s known as voice over internet protocol or VOIP, and its quality is getting better every day. All you need is a computer, an internet connection and an inexpensive phone that you can buy at any electronics stores, or on the Net. For about $20 per year, make all the local and long distance calls you want, unless you have friends in foreign countries. That’s extra.
From a call quality perspective, you probably won’t even notice a difference, though you may experience an occasional call drop. VOIP may not be for everyone and you need to be aware of some issues before you throw the landline out with the 8 Track player.

It depends on the person, it depends on what job, lifestyle, income, and many other things depending on the person person, some corporations require you to have a landline phone if you plan to work for them, and if you don't have a landline, some businesses won't hire you, if you are home most of the time, and you want to save some money, landlines are cheaper than cell phone service (in most cases) and are more reliable, and in some budgets, some people can't afford a cell phone, or wouldn't be using half of the features they would be paying for, so a landline would be more affordable.

Well it can't become obsolete...The reason being its RELIABILITY... Mobile phones cannot be as reliable as landline is...Also the fax service which it provides cannot be replaced by mobile phones...Though people make minimum use of landline, it still remains an option in areas with low network coverage...

New internet-based phone technologies are becoming so good and cost effective, the landline's days may be numbered.You have to love those landline phones. For reliability, they cannot be beat. And although landline phone charges have dropped considerably over recent years, their competition still wins hands down based on cost. That’s why a massive switch is coming, with more and more of us hanging up the landline and picking up an internet-based phone, or cell phones at home.